Dear Rabbi

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a beautifully rhymed question: "Michael ate my kippah." Does it need to go to genizah?" Let me first clarify the terms: a kippah is the head covering Jewish men traditionally wear, Michael is a dog, and genizah is the process and place where we bury holy items. Genizah (also known as "shaimos," literally "names") is required when a piece of parchment or paper has God's name on it; we're not allowed to destroy it or throw it away, so it gets buried the same way a human being would. The question is, does a destroyed kippah need Jewish burial, or can it just be thrown out? The simple answer is no, it does not need genizah. A kippah (yarmulke) has no spiritual significance whatsoever. It's nothing more than a convenient way to cover our heads. Jewish men cover their heads to constantly remind themselves that God is above that's actually where the term "yarmulke" comes from: "yirat Malka," meaning "fear of the King" or "awe of Heaven."But how I cover my head isn't mandated. I can use a turban, hood, baseball cap, or fedora—really, any head covering counts. The fact that I wear one type of covering versus another is insignificant. The yarmulke has absolutely no inherent spiritual value. I often see people drop their kippah, pick it up, and kiss it the same way we kiss a holy Jewish book or other sacred item that falls.This is totally unnecessary because, as I said, it doesn't have any spiritual or religious significance.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic mitzvot come to be? Isn't that adding to the Torah?You're correct that the Torah forbids us from adding or detracting from it, and both are equally problematic. Your question is so good that the Ramban (Nachmanides) himself asks it: How did the rabbis make fences for the Torah? Isn't that adding to it?I explain the crucial distinction between rabbinic mitzvot and adding to the Torah. Adding to the Torah would be claiming "this is what the Torah says" when the Torah doesn't actually say it. Rabbinic mitzvot are very different; the rabbis are doing exactly what the Torah commands them to do: putting up protective fences to prevent people from transgressing actual Torah law. The key is understanding the distinction between rabbinic law and Torah law. As long as we recognize these are safeguards protecting us from violating biblical Torah law, it's not only acceptable but actually required by the Torah itself. Think of guardrails on a highway or a fence on top of a high roof. If we take Torah seriously, we need those guardrails to keep us in line.History proves the wisdom of rabbinic laws. I've personally looked at some and thought, "Are you serious?" If X happens, then Y will happen? They seem totally disconnected!" But history shows that Jewish communities that abandoned rabbinic laws began abandoning Torah laws as well. The direct correlation validates the rabbis' foresight.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer is refreshingly simple and accessible.Luckily, Judaism is not all or nothing. It's better to do something than to do nothing at all. While that might sound obvious, it's not the way many Jews approach Judaism. I hear people say all the time, "Rabbi, why should I light Shabbat candles?" I don't keep Shabbos." But here's the truth: the fact that you might go to the movies after lighting candles does not invalidate the mitzvah you've done by lighting those Shabbat candles. This applies to all of our mitzvot.My recommendation is to find those aspects of Judaism that speak to you personally. Find what's most meaningful, and if you're going to start somewhere, start there. But how do you know which aspects are most meaningful? The only way to really know is to begin learning more about Judaism. The more you study Torah, the more you discover what's out there and the different ways Judaism can enhance your life. Start studying, whether one-on-one with a rabbi or anyone who knows more Torah than you, or through resources like Aish.com, which has thousands of articles on every topic imaginable. Rabbi Akiva famously said in the Talmud that learning is most important because learning leads to action. You can't possibly do the mitzvot until you learn about them, what they are, how they work, and how they can enhance your life.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, we answer a question about a distinctive Jewish practice: Why do some Jewish women cover their hair? For this episode, my wife Sarah Lehrfield shares her personal perspective as a Jewish woman who covers her hair. Sarah explains that hair covering marks a significant transition in a woman's life as she enters marriage. The unification of souls is an essential part of this transition, which for centuries and even today involves the first experiences with intimacy.This transformation makes a woman aware of what her body is capable of and the power her physical feminine presence holds. She discusses how a woman can sometimes get distracted by the gift of her own sensuality and begin to identify herself more as a body than as a person with a mind, thoughts, opinions, personality, gifts, creativity, and intellect. It's easy to forget her prime identity, her soul, her internal and most valuable self. Many women find joy and benefit in covering their hair for different reasons. For Sarah personally, covering her hair reminds her that her body is always secondary to her soul and that she wants to continue projecting to the world the parts of herself that matter most: her character, wisdom, and inner qualities rather than just her physical appearance. When a woman comes home and lets her hair down, she enhances the sacred, private, intimate connection with her spouse, the one person with whom there's no risk of being seen as anyone other than who she truly is. Sarah concludes with a beautiful parallel: A man covers his head to remind him of what is above him (God), and a woman covers her hair to remind her of what is within her (her soul).Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a profound spiritual question: Why does God want some distance? Even when we draw close with broken hearts in prayer, why does God remain hidden? I explore this concept through the lens of Purim, where God is famously hidden throughout the entire story. In the Book of Esther, which we read on Purim, God's name is never mentioned explicitly. Yet our sages tell us the name is there, hidden. Every time the text says "HaMelech" (the King) by itself, it refers to God Himself - the ultimate King. When it says "Ahasuerus," it refers to the historical Persian king. I explain the mask analogy: When someone wears a mask, they're very close to you - if they were far away, the distance itself would hide their identity.You only need a mask when you're close. Similarly, God was very close during the Purim story, which is why He needed the "mask" to remain hidden. But why does God do this? The simple answer is: I don't know. Moses himself asked God to understand His ways - why bad things happen to good people and vice versa - and God answered that humans cannot comprehend this and live. However, I offer an analogy from parenting: when my kids are in ski school, I want to watch their progress, but I hide behind a tree because if they see me, they won't work as hard. When something's difficult and your parent is right there, the natural tendency is to give up and ask for help.Just as God told the Jewish people at the Red Sea, "Don't pray to me now - start walking, start doing, start acting," sometimes we need sink-or-swim moments. We need opportunities to rise to the occasion, and for that to happen, God needs to be hidden. It's uncomfortable and scary, but this is what eventually makes us become the people God knows we're capable of becoming.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic mitzvot come to be? Isn't that adding to the Torah? You're correct that the Torah forbids us from adding or detracting from it, and both adding and detracting are equally problematic. Your question is so good that the Rambam (Maimonides) himself asks it: How did the rabbis make fences for the Torah? Isn't that adding to it? I explain the crucial distinction between rabbinic mitzvot and adding to the Torah.Adding to the Torah would be claiming "this is what the Torah says" when the Torah doesn't actually say it. Rabbinic mitzvot, however, are very different. The rabbis are doing exactly what the Torah commands them to do—putting up protective fences to prevent people from transgressing actual Torah law. The key is that we understand the distinction between rabbinic law and Torah law. As long as we recognize these are safeguards put in place to protect us from violating biblical Torah law, it's not only acceptable but actually required by the Torah itself.Think of it like guardrails on a highway or a fence on top of a high roof - if we take Torah seriously and want to ensure we don't transgress biblical law, we need those guardrails to keep us in line. History proves the wisdom of rabbinic laws. I personally have looked at some rabbinic laws and thought, "Are you serious? You really think if X happens, then Y will happen?They seem totally disconnected!" But we have the benefit of history, and we can see that Jewish communities that abandoned rabbinic laws actually began abandoning Torah laws as well. The direct correlation between transgression of rabbinic law and the forgetting of Torah law is remarkable and validates the rabbis' foresight.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question that surprises many people: Do Jews believe in reincarnation? The short answer is yes. Judaism does believe in the concept of gilgul neshamot (reincarnation of souls), according to many of our sages.Practically all of us alive today are reincarnations of previous souls and lives. What this means is that if a person, for whatever reason, did not fulfill their purpose in this world during their lifetime, they get to try again. I know it sounds a lot like a video game: you do your best, try as hard as you can, and if you die without finishing your mission, you get to try again.I explain how the Zohar finds a biblical reference to this in the laws of levirate marriage (yibum). When a man dies childless, his widow is obligated to marry his brother, and the Torah states that the firstborn son "shall succeed in the name of his dead brother, that his name not be erased from the Jewish people." " The Zohar reveals this as the secret of reincarnation: the child born from this union is actually a reincarnation of the deceased brother.The earliest biblical reference may be from the Book of Job, chapter 33, verse 30: "Behold, God does all these things with man two or three times... to bring back his soul from the grave, to bask in the light of the living." So yes, Jews do believe in reincarnation, though it's not as widely known as other Jewish beliefs.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer might surprise you with how accessible and flexible it actually is.Luckily, Judaism is not all or nothing. It's better to do something than to do nothing at all. While that might sound obvious, it's not the way many Jews approach Judaism. I hear people say all the time, "Rabbi, why should I light Shabbat candles?" I don't keep Shabbos." But here's the truth: the fact that you might go to the movies after lighting candles does not invalidate the mitzvah you've done by lighting those candles. This applies to all of our mitzvot. My recommendation is to find those aspects of Judaism that speak to you personally. Find what's most meaningful to you, and if you're going to start somewhere, you might as well start there. But how do you know which aspects are most meaningful? The only way to really know is to begin learning more about Judaism. The more you study Torah, the more you discover what's out there and learn the different ways Judaism can enhance your life.So the only way to begin is to start studying, whether one-on-one with a rabbi or anyone who knows more Torah than you, or through resources like Aish.com, which has thousands of articles on every topic imaginable. Rabbi Akiva famously said in the Talmud that learning is most important because learning leads to action. You can't possibly do the mitzvot until you learn about them, what they are, how they work, and how they can enhance your life.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer one of the most common misconceptions about Jewish law: Can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The short answer is yes - even someone with a tattoo can absolutely be buried in a Jewish cemetery.That's not to say tattoos are condoned by Judaism. The Torah (the Bible) makes it very clear that it is forbidden to get a tattoo. But why? I explain that we look at our bodies as holy receptacles for our souls. Just like you wouldn't borrow a Bentley from someone and put bumper stickers all over it, we believe our bodies are, so to speak, borrowed. They're here to fulfill a specific purpose - housing our souls and allowing us to connect spiritually through action in this physical world. Therefore, we don't want to permanently mark them up with those proverbial bumper stickers.However, having a tattoo doesn't disqualify someone from Jewish burial. This is just one of many misconceptions people have about Jewish law and burial practices. The reality is far more compassionate and understanding than the myths suggest.Whether you have tattoos yourself, know someone who does, or are simply curious about Jewish burial customs and what actually disqualifies someone from Jewish cemetery burial, this episode clears up a widespread misunderstanding about Jewish practice and law.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews who are wealthy and Jews who are struggling, just like all of society. But the origin of this stereotype reveals something profound about Jewish values. I share a fascinating insight from Mark Twain, who once wrote an article addressing the root causes of antisemitism.While many people are familiar with the end of that article, where he talks about how Jews seem to be immortal, surviving despite everything the world has thrown at them, he makes a remarkable observation in the middle of the article. Mark Twain noted that because Jews take care of each other, you never find a Jewish beggar. Perhaps that's where the stereotype originated. Non-Jewish neighbors assumed Jews were all rich because they never saw Jewish people begging or asking for money on the streets.The reason, of course, wasn't because poor Jews didn't exist; rather, the Jewish community took care of them quietly and effectively. While stereotypes are generally negative, understanding the root of this particular one is something we should take pride in. Jewish people have always taken care of one another. This important Jewish value—sharing what we have with others, taking care of our fellow brothers and sisters, and ensuring no Jew (or any human being) ever goes hungry has always been central to Jewish identity and community life.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a crucial question: Is there anything wrong with buying a mezuzah online or at a gift shop? The answer might surprise you and could save you from making an expensive mistake. First, let me clarify we're talking about the mezuzah scroll itself (the parchment inside), not the decorative case. A mezuzah case doesn't have any inherent holiness and can be purchased anywhere you'd like. But the scroll inside is a completely different matter. It's extremely important that mezuzah scrolls are purchased from reputable sources, either directly from a sofer (scribe) or from someone trustworthy who deals in mezuzahs. Here's why: Unlike a Torah scroll, a mezuzah must be written in specific order from beginning to end without corrections. If a scribe makes a mistake two lines from the end, an unscrupulous person might just scratch it out and correct it, but that makes the mezuzah non-kosher because it wasn't written in proper order. In a Torah scroll, mistakes can be fixed anywhere, but with a mezuzah, you cannot. There's no way to know by looking at it whether it was written properly; you must trust the source. I can tell you from personal experience: every time I go to someone's home to put up mezuzahs, 98% of the time they have at least one mezuzah that is not even remotely kosher, meaning it was never kosher to begin with. I've seen mezuzahs written on paper and photocopies, and people who bought mezuzahs at their synagogue gift shop where the scroll was made of paper, yet the staff told them it was kosher. If you're purchasing mezuzahs, buy them from a reputable person who knows the scribe and can verify they're written properly according to Jewish law. I also share information about My Mezuzah (mymezuzah.org), an organization that provides free mezuzahs for anyone who needs them.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews who are wealthy and Jews who are struggling, just like all of society. But the origin of this stereotype reveals something profound about Jewish values. I share a fascinating insight from Mark Twain, who once wrote an article addressing the root causes of antisemitism.While many people are familiar with the end of that article—where he talks about how Jews seem to be immortal, surviving despite everything the world has thrown at them—he makes a remarkable observation in the middle of the article. Mark Twain noted that because Jews take care of each other, you never find a Jewish beggar. Perhaps that's where the stereotype originated. Non-Jewish neighbors assumed Jews were all rich because they never saw Jewish people begging or asking for money on the streets.The reason, of course, wasn't because poor Jews didn't exist—rather, the Jewish community took care of them quietly and effectively. While stereotypes are generally negative, understanding the root of this particular one is something we should take pride in. Jewish people have always taken care of one another. This important Jewish value—sharing what we have with others, taking care of our fellow brothers and sisters, and ensuring no Jew (or any human being) ever goes hungry - has always been central to Jewish identity and community life.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people wonder about: What's up with the Jewish calendar? Why was Hanukkah on December 2nd one year, late December another year, and even overlapped with Thanksgiving a few years ago? Why does this calendar seem so different from the regular calendar we use?I explain that here in America and most of the Western world, we use the Gregorian calendar, which is purely solar at 365.2524 days. Other cultures use lunar calendars, like Islam, which track cycles of the moon. In lunar calendars, years are arbitrary, which is why Muslim holidays like Ramadan can fall in winter one year and summer another - the season doesn't matter. The Jewish calendar is unique because it's neither purely solar nor purely lunar - it's a luni-solar calendar. Unlike lunar calendars, our holidays must fall in specific seasons because they're intimately connected to the time of year.The Torah explicitly commands that Passover take place in springtime - a season of rejuvenation where everything comes to life and is reborn, mirroring how the Jewish people left Egypt and became a nation during the Exodus. To accomplish this seasonal alignment while following lunar months, we add an extra month of Adar seven times in every 19-year cycle. This means seven times every 19 years, we have 13 months instead of 12. If you're born in the month of Adar, you get to celebrate two birthdays during those leap years!This is why the Jewish calendar doesn't align with the English calendar exactly - it only does so every 19 years. Every 19 years, your English birthday and Hebrew birthday will fall on the same day.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question: Why does the Jewish concept of a day start at sundown instead of midnight or sunrise like most modern calendars? As Jews, we do tend to do things differently, and this includes how we mark time - but there's profound wisdom behind it.I explain that in the biblical narrative of creation, throughout every day of creation, the Torah states: "And it was evening, and it was morning - day one..,. and it was evening, and it was morning - a second day, a third day," etc. By consistently placing evening before morning, the Torah teaches us that the Jewish concept of time begins with night. This is why all Jewish holidays begin the evening before, and every Jewish day actually begins at sundown.But there's a deeper meaning here. Perhaps Jewish wisdom is teaching us that "all is good in the end, and if it's not good, it's not the end." Night symbolizes difficulty, darkness, and challenge - things we all face in life. Daytime represents clarity, when things are going well and proceeding the way we want them to. We praise God openly in the day when His presence is clear, while at night we trust and have faith even when we don't see His presence.By beginning our day at night, before the morning comes, Judaism teaches us that there is always light ahead, always a positive following the darkness. The day always comes after the night, reminding us that challenges are temporary and goodness prevails in the end.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that worship is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, with a ten-year-old asking for a knife, the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question about Jewish pronunciation: Why do some people say "Shabbos" while others say "Shabbat"? Is Shabbos actually Yiddish? The answer reveals a deeper story about Jewish history, migration, and the diversity within the Jewish people.I explain that both "Shabbos" and "Shabbat" are equally Hebrew - the difference comes from where Jews historically lived. Ashkenazi Jews (from Eastern European descent - the word literally means Germany) tend to say "Shabbos," while Sephardi Jews (from Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Europe) say "Shabbat." The Sephardi story includes the famous 1492 expulsion from Spain - the same year Columbus sailed - when Jews were kicked out and spread to North Africa and the Ottoman Empire.The pronunciation difference stems from how each community treats the Hebrew letter "tav." Ashkenazim differentiate between tav with a dot (pronounced like "T") and without a dot (pronounced like "S"), which is why they say "Shabbos." Sephardim pronounce tav as "T" regardless of the dot, resulting in "Shabbat." I explain why many Jews today use Sephardi pronunciation even if they're Ashkenazi: When Israel was established, and Hebrew became a spoken language again, most founders were Sephardi, so modern Hebrew adopted their pronunciation. It's also simpler with fewer rules to remember. Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that prayer is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, prayer works differently with a ten-year-old asking for a knife - the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we have to justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, or selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcastsIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore whether Judaism believes in the concept of soulmates and explain the fascinating Jewish teaching of "bashert", the idea of a predestined partner. If you've ever wondered whether there's one perfect person out there for you, or how Jewish tradition views romantic destiny, this episode will provide profound insights that challenge modern assumptions about finding "the one."I explain that in Judaism, there is indeed a concept known as bashert, which means "predestined" or "meant to be." According to Jewish tradition, we're taught that before a child is even born - right after conception - a heavenly voice announces that this person is meant to be with that person. This suggests a divine plan for partnership that exists from the very beginning of our existence.But here's where Jewish wisdom adds a crucial twist to the popular soulmate narrative: Does the existence of a bashert mean you'll automatically find that soulmate? Not necessarily. And more importantly, Judaism places far more emphasis not on finding the soulmate, but on being the soulmate. This is a profound shift in perspective that transforms the entire approach to relationships and marriage.What does it mean to "be the soulmate" rather than just "find the soulmate"? It means we spend more effort on becoming the right partner and becoming the right person, instead of passively searching for the right person. This isn't a passive act of waiting for destiny to deliver your perfect match. It requires active self-improvement, character development, and preparation for partnership.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue from last week's discussion about free will and divine knowledge. Last week, I explained that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making that choice - similar to how knowing someone's past actions doesn't negate that they made those choices freely. But this week, I tackle the Rambam's (Maimonides') question, which sounds identical but is actually profoundly different and much deeper.The Rambam's answer is both humble and profound: "Know that the answer to this question is longer than the earth and broader than the sea." In other words, we cannot fully comprehend the answer to this question. But to understand why this question is so much deeper than last week's, I explain a critical point the Rambam makes elsewhere in the same chapter.This episode covers the Rambam's formulation of the free will paradox, the fundamental difference between divine and human knowledge, why God's knowledge becoming part of His essence creates a deeper problem, the concept of divine unity and simplicity, why this question is "longer than the earth and broader than the sea," and what it means to hold seemingly contradictory truths in Judaism.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most profound philosophical questions in Judaism and theology: If God knows everything, including what choices I'm going to make, do I really have free will? After all, if God already knows what I'm going to choose, isn't my choice predetermined? This question has puzzled philosophers and theologians for centuries, but the answer may be simpler than you think.I start by explaining that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making a free will choice. The key to understanding this lies in how God relates to time. From God's perspective, there is no time - God exists above time and beyond space. What was, what is, and what will be are all essentially the same to God, with no distinction between past, present, and future.To make this even clearer, I propose a thought experiment involving a time machine. Imagine you eat breakfast, and then I get into a time machine and go back ten minutes to watch you make your breakfast choices. I observe everything but don't interfere - I just watch. The fact that I know you chose Wheaties with a banana and orange juice doesn't mean you didn't have free will to make that decision. I just happen to know what you chose because in my timeline, it already happened. You're still making those choices yourself; I'm just observing from a different temporal perspective.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish identity: Is Judaism a religion, an ethnicity, or a race? This question became particularly relevant during the Whoopi Goldberg controversy and continues to confuse many people trying to understand what Judaism actually is. The answer is more complex and fascinating than you might think. I explain that Judaism predates all of these modern conceptions and categories. When we think about religion today, we're thinking about modern religious systems. But Judaism has been around for over a thousand years before the most recent of those religions emerged. The entire concept of categorizing something as purely a "religion," "ethnicity," or "race" is a relatively modern framework that we use to put things into neat boxes and make them fit our contemporary understanding - especially as Americans who like everything to make logical sense based on our own cultural conceptions. But here's the key insight: Judaism is older than all of those classification systems, and therefore it doesn't really fit neatly into any single one of those boxes. Judaism is actually all of the above and more. It's not just a religion, because even if a person doesn't believe in God, they're still considered Jewish. It's not just an ethnicity, because a person can be born into a completely different religion or no religion at all and choose to convert to Judaism, becoming fully Jewish. I explain that Judaism is more accurately described as a family, a tribe, or a covenant community - a group of people bound together by both genetics and sometimes by conscious choice.We have an entire podcast called "Zero Percent" where we spent a whole year exploring stories of Jews by choice - people who chose a Jewish way of life despite having no genetic Jewish ancestry. This is a completely valid Jewish experience, and some of the greatest Jews who ever lived were Jews by choice, including Ruth (King David's ancestor) and many prominent rabbis throughout history. This episode covers why modern categories don't fit Judaism, the difference between religion, ethnicity, and race, how someone can be Jewish without believing in God, the process and validity of conversion to Judaism, Jews by choice and their place in Jewish history, the concept of Judaism as a covenant community, and why Judaism defies simple categorization.Whether you're curious about Jewish identity, confused about how Judaism works as both a religion and ethnicity, interested in conversion to Judaism, exploring your own Jewish identity, seeking to understand the Whoopi Goldberg controversy about Jews and race, or simply wondering what makes someone Jewish, this episode offers clarity on one of the most misunderstood aspects of Jewish life and identity.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore one of the most recognizable aspects of Jewish culture: our love of humor and our tendency to tell jokes about being Jewish. If you've ever wondered why Jewish comedians dominate the comedy world or why Jews seem to have a joke for every situation, this episode reveals the profound survival mechanism behind Jewish humor.I explain that throughout millennia of persecution, Jews have experienced horrific acts of violence and oppression - literally anything you can imagine has been perpetrated against the Jewish people at some point in history. From ancient expulsions to medieval pogroms, from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust, Jewish history is marked by tragedy and suffering. Yet the Jewish people have not only survived but thrived, and one of our strongest coping mechanisms has been humor.Jews have learned to laugh at ourselves, at our surroundings, and at our circumstances. This isn't just about being funny - it's a profound survival strategy that has kept us alive and united as a people for thousands of years. As Rabbi Layfer's grandfather would say, "We learned not to take ourselves too seriously." This ability to find humor even in dark times has been one of the most important tools for Jewish resilience and continuity. When Jews joke and kibbutz (Yiddish for playful teasing and banter), we're doing more than entertaining ourselves.We're reminding ourselves that ultimately everything is going to work out. Even when we're going through difficult situations, there's a bright light around the corner. This optimism, combined with self-awareness, creates a unique brand of humor that has influenced comedy worldwide. This episode covers the historical context of Jewish suffering and persecution, how humor became a survival mechanism for Jews, the concept of kibitzing in Jewish culture, why Jews don't take themselves too seriously, Jewish contributions to comedy and entertainment, the psychological benefits of humor in difficult times, and how Jewish humor reflects resilience and hope.Whether you're curious about Jewish culture, interested in the psychology of humor as a coping mechanism, wondering why so many famous comedians are Jewish, exploring Jewish history and resilience, or simply love Jewish humor and want to understand its deeper meaning, this episode offers insights into one of the most distinctive and powerful aspects of Jewish identity.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore why food plays such a central role in Jewish life and religious experience. While many people notice that Jews have a strong affinity for food, there's actually a profound spiritual significance behind this focus. Judaism is unique among religions in that we don't view the physical world as something to overcome or avoid, but rather as something to elevate and make spiritual. Food represents one of the most basic, animalistic human activities - something we do multiple times every day. This makes it the perfect vehicle for spiritual elevation through blessings, mindful eating, and using the nourishment we receive to better ourselves and the world. I share a story about two people approaching the same apple tree with completely different intentions: one person sees the apple and makes a blessing to eat it, while a rabbi sees the apple and wants to make a blessing, so he eats it. Though they perform identical actions, their spiritual focus creates worlds of difference. When we make blessings before and after eating, and use the energy food provides to do good in the world, we transform the physical act of eating into something holy and spiritual. This approach reflects Judaism's core philosophy that we're here not to avoid the physical world, but to elevate it and make it divine.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain why Jewish coworkers wish each other "Happy New Year" in September rather than January. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, falls at the beginning of the Jewish calendar year, which differs from the secular calendar we use in America. I clarify a common misconception: while many people think Rosh Hashanah celebrates the creation of the world, we're actually celebrating the creation of the first human being, Adam - the first person imbued with a divine soul. This marks the beginning of human history and our relationship with the divine. I explore how this timing connects to our spiritual renewal, as our souls return to our bodies for another year of godly work in this world. The celebration occurs on the first of Tishrei, exactly when tradition teaches Adam was created. I also note how Jewish schools get to use the same corny jokes about "seeing you next year" - just in September instead of December. For those interested in learning more about how the Jewish calendar works compared to the secular calendar, I reference our earlier episode that provides a deep dive into this fascinating topic.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address whether Jews believe in the devil, and the short answer is no. The Christian concept of the devil is antithetical to Jewish thought. While Judaism does believe in Satan (which is where the English word "Satan" comes from), this is fundamentally different from the Christian devil. Satan is not a counter-force to God or a force of evil, but rather an angel - a messenger and spiritual celestial being that fulfills God's will. I explain how Satan functions like a sparring partner, working alongside our yetzer hara (evil inclination) to create the conditions necessary for free will. Just as we need challenges to grow stronger physically through exercise or sparring partners, we need spiritual challenges to become better, stronger people. Satan provides us with obstacles and temptations that, when overcome, help us develop our character and spiritual strength. This concept is fundamentally different from the devil as an independent evil force opposing God, instead viewing spiritual challenges as part of God's design for human growth and development.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address why Judaism traditionally encourages Jews to marry within the faith when choosing a life partner. I explain that when selecting someone to spend your entire life with, it's crucial to find someone who shares your fundamental values and worldview. Even if religion isn't important to someone today, it may become significant later in life, making shared religious identity important for long-term compatibility. I discuss how the Jewish people, despite being a small population, have maintained remarkable continuity throughout history, and marrying within the community helps preserve this continuity. I reference the Torah's warning against intermarriage, noting that one reason given is the concern that it may lead children away from Judaism. Given the tremendous losses the Jewish people have suffered through persecution and antisemitism throughout history, it's tough to see Jews lost to assimilation as well. Encouraging Jews to marry other Jews is one way to help prevent the loss of Jewish identity and ensure the continuation of Jewish traditions, values, and community for future generations.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore the apparent contradiction between Judaism's emphasis on peace and the argumentative nature of Jewish texts and culture. I explain that it's not just our texts that are argumentative, our people are too, as reflected in the saying "two Jews, three opinions" and the fact that Jews make excellent attorneys. I clarify that peace is not passivity but rather harmony of difference. You can argue vehemently with someone while still maintaining respect and peace between you. When people are genuinely searching for truth, disagreement isn't personal; it's an intellectual pursuit. I discuss how we need to disagree and see things from different perspectives to truly understand concepts and ideas. The problem arises when we confuse our identity with opinions we've simply absorbed from our environment, political ideologies, family teachings, or community beliefs that aren't our own. When we approach disagreement as a mutual search for understanding rather than a personal attack, we can maintain peace while disagreeing on almost everything. This Jewish approach to constructive argument serves the higher purpose of seeking truth together.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a question that highlights the difference between Jewish and Christian concepts of human nature and forgiveness. I explain that while Christianity teaches original sin - the idea that humanity is inherently flawed due to Adam's sin and needs salvation - Judaism teaches the opposite: every human being is a spark of the divine and is essentially good. I clarify why Jews still need the process of teshuvah (often translated as atonement or repentance) despite not believing in original sin. When we make mistakes, we create spiritual decay within ourselves and the world, requiring us to undergo teshuvah, which means "returning" - returning to our essential, good self. I explain that Judaism doesn't use the concept of "sin" but rather "chet," an archery term meaning "to miss the mark" - when we don't act in our best interest or in ways that make the world more holy. Like teaching children that a proper apology requires more than just saying sorry, teshuvah involves acknowledging wrongdoing, feeling genuine remorse, and taking action to repair whatever damage was caused.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Please email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address why Judaism doesn't require a blessing before giving charity, despite the general rule that we make blessings before performing mitzvot to thank God for the opportunity to partner with Him in making the world a more spiritual place. I explain that there's an important exception to this blessing rule: we don't make blessings before performing mitzvot that involve other people, because doing so would make the recipient feel inferior. I explore how creating a blessing right before giving charity would essentially announce to the person that they are a "charity case" who needs help, which could be deeply humiliating. This principle extends to other interpersonal mitzvot like visiting the sick or any commandment involving another person. I emphasize how Judaism teaches us to be sensitive to the dignity and feelings of others, ensuring that those in the position of giving never act superior to those receiving. This thoughtful approach to religious practice demonstrates how Jewish law balances spiritual obligations with human compassion and respect for every person's dignity.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore how Jewish religious leaders achieve the prestigious title of "Gadol Hador" (greatest of the generation) and explain why this process is fundamentally different from American political campaigns. I discuss how authentic Jewish leadership operates on the principle that the best leaders are often those who don't seek leadership positions but have leadership thrust upon them. Unlike political systems, where candidates campaign for office, Jewish religious authority develops organically when a knowledgeable sage attracts followers who respect and appreciate their wisdom. I explain how this process unfolds naturally: people seek advice from these learned individuals, keep returning for more guidance, and eventually those who recognize true greatness begin to acknowledge this person's exceptional status. The community gradually turns to them for halachic decisions and spiritual guidance until they become the de facto leader of the generation. This approach to leadership selection reflects Jewish values that prioritize reluctant but qualified leadership over ambitious self-promotion, ensuring that those who assume these roles do so out of responsibility rather than personal ambition.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a fascinating question about Moses and humility: if Moses was truly humble, how could he write about himself that he was the most humble person who ever lived? I explain that this question is based on a common misconception about what humility means in Jewish thought. True humility doesn't mean thinking less of yourself or diminishing your abilities - it means thinking of yourself less and focusing outward rather than inward. I explore how Judaism teaches that God gives each person tremendous skills and talents specifically to fulfill their unique mission in this world. Recognizing and using these God-given gifts doesn't contradict humility; rather, genuine humility means acknowledging that all our abilities come from God and using them as tools to make ourselves and the world better.The key is understanding that having specific talents doesn't make anyone a better person than others - what matters is how we use our gifts to serve a higher purpose and contribute positively to the world.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I conclude the analysis of Ellen Gilad's interpretation of the meat and milk prohibition by demonstrating how clear biblical verses help us understand ambiguous ones. While acknowledging that the verses in Exodus might be unclear about whether they refer to cooking or ripening, I explain how the crystal-clear verse in Deuteronomy, which appears among dietary laws, definitively establishes that "bashel" means "to cook" rather than "to ripen." I use the principle that when faced with both clear and ambiguous biblical passages on the same topic, we should interpret the ambiguous ones through the lens of the clear ones. Even if we were to accept the alternative interpretation of the Exodus verses, the Deuteronomy verse alone would still prohibit mixing meat and milk. I conclude with a practical analogy about choosing the safer path when in doubt, emphasizing that those who genuinely care about following divine instruction would avoid questionable practices. This episode reinforces that the prohibition against mixing meat and milk is biblical law transmitted through an unbroken oral tradition, not merely rabbinic interpretation.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I examine Ellen Gilad's argument that the Hebrew word "bashel" (translated as "seethe") might mean "ripen" or "mature" rather than "cook," potentially changing our understanding of the biblical prohibition against mixing meat and milk. I acknowledge that this interpretation has precedent with fruits maturing and was even considered by the classical commentator Bechor Shor as an intellectual exercise. However, I explain why this alternative translation doesn't change Jewish law or practice. I delve into why the Torah repeats this commandment three times - "do not seethe a kid in its mother's milk" - showing how traditional Jewish interpretation understands this repetition as establishing three distinct prohibitions: cooking meat and milk together, eating them together, and benefiting from their mixture. I emphasize the crucial role of the Oral Torah in understanding the written text, explaining how the Jewish people received both the written and oral traditions simultaneously at Mount Sinai, making the prohibition against mixing meat and milk a divinely transmitted law rather than a rabbinic interpretation.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of my ongoing response to Elon Gilad's viral video, I explain why Judaism requires both written and oral Torah components. I address the fundamental question of why the Torah wasn't simply written down completely, exploring how the Oral Torah serves as an essential living tradition that cannot be contained in text alone. Drawing on analogies from medical training and modern communication, I illustrate why Torah study necessitates real-world experience, teacher-student relationships, and authentic transmission. I also examine how the Oral Torah protects against manipulation and provides crucial context that prevents misinterpretation. Unlike historical groups like the Sadducees, who consistently rejected oral tradition (even sitting in darkness on Shabbat), I show how selective rejection of the Oral Torah is intellectually dishonest. Through examples such as Shabbat practices and the tradition of eating hot cholent, I illustrate how our unbroken chain of transmission from Mount Sinai ensures an authentic understanding of Torah commandments across all Jewish communities worldwide.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this second episode of my series responding to Elan Gilad's viral video, I address his claim that Hebrew's lack of vowels creates uncertainty about the milk and meat prohibition. While acknowledging that Hebrew is indeed written without vowels, I explain how Judaism's Oral Torah tradition resolves this apparent ambiguity. I detail how the Oral Torah - distinct from rabbinic law - represents biblical teachings passed down in an unbroken chain from Moses at Mount Sinai. Using examples like tefillin, mezuzah, tzitzit, and ritual slaughter laws, I demonstrate how countless Torah commandments would be impossible to fulfill without this oral transmission. I explain how Jewish communities worldwide maintain identical Torah readings and practices precisely because of this preserved oral tradition, ensuring consistency across time and geography in understanding biblical texts.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

 In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue to examine the biblical prohibition against mixing meat and milk by analyzing the placement of this commandment in various biblical contexts. I address why the verse "do not seethe a kid in its mother's milk" appears alongside temple sacrifice laws in Exodus, rather than with other dietary laws as in Deuteronomy. Through the lens of classical Jewish commentators like Rashi, Rabbi Moshe David Cassuto, and Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, I explore various interpretations: that the Torah reminds us about this prohibition when we consume large amounts of meat during festivals, that it contrasts Jewish practice with non-Jewish customs, and that it represents the spiritual separation between life-giving elements (milk) and physical matter (meat). I emphasize how traditional Jewish scholarship approaches these textual questions with intellectual honesty, seeking deeper understanding rather than justification for changing religious practice. This episode demonstrates how the Torah's precise placement of verses teaches multiple lessons simultaneously.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue our discussion about why Jews don't mix meat and milk, focusing specifically on the biblical sources behind this kosher practice. I respond to claims made by Elon Gilad, examining each argument in detail while explaining how the Torah works with both written and oral components. I clarify how the three repetitions of "do not cook a kid in its mother's milk" in the Torah establish three distinct prohibitions: not cooking meat and milk together, not eating them together, and not benefiting from such mixtures. Beyond addressing alternative interpretations of the Hebrew word "bishul" (cooking), I illustrate the importance of the oral tradition that has preserved accurate Torah reading for thousands of years across Jewish communities worldwide. This episode provides insights into how Jewish dietary laws are anchored in biblical sources, the relationship between written and oral Torah, and why intellectual honesty matters when interpreting Jewish texts.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a viral social media video by Elan Gilad claiming Jews can eat cheeseburgers due to a biblical "misunderstanding." I methodically debunk this claim, pointing out that Gilad incorrectly states the prohibition against cooking a kid in its mother's milk appears twice in Torah when it appears three times (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21). I explain how the Deuteronomy reference places this law among dietary restrictions, confirming its connection to kosher laws. Beyond factual corrections, I discuss the arrogance of dismissing thousands of years of rabbinic scholarship and interpretation. Using an analogy about Rashi, our classic Torah commentator, I emphasize the comprehensive knowledge traditional scholars brought to their interpretations. This episode is the first in a series where I'll continue analyzing Gilad's claims in depth, giving proper context to Jewish dietary laws.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address the common question about why kosher restaurants typically have higher prices than non-kosher establishments. I explain that rather than simple price gouging, there are legitimate fixed costs that contribute to higher prices in kosher dining. These include specialized meat preparation requirements, meticulous inspection of fruits and vegetables for insects (as Jewish law prohibits consuming bugs), and the salary of a mashgiach (kosher supervisor) who ensures all kosher laws are properly observed. These additional expenses necessary for maintaining kosher certification ultimately get passed on to consumers, making kosher restaurants and kosher food in general more expensive. This episode provides insight into the economic realities behind kosher food production while acknowledging the genuine concerns of kosher-observant consumers about dining costs.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I unravel the mystery behind those fishing wire-like strings that hang across streets in Jewish neighborhoods. These strings, an eruv, serve as a ritual boundary that transforms public areas into a unified domain for Sabbath observance. I explain how Jewish law prohibits carrying objects between public and private domains on Shabbat, and how the eruv creates a symbolic enclosure that allows observant Jews to carry essential items (like house keys or push strollers) on the Sabbath. Beyond its practical function, I discuss how the eruv historically helped build strong Jewish communities by encouraging Jews to live near one another. This traditional practice represents both religious observance and community cohesion, though I note how changing observance patterns have affected this community-building aspect in modern times.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue our exploration of why Jewish tradition avoids directly counting people. Tracing this practice back to biblical times, I explain how even during desert censuses, Jews were counted indirectly through coin contributions. I share the cautionary tale from the Book of Samuel where King David's census led to calamity, and draw on commentaries from Rambam and Rashi about the "evil eye." More profoundly, I suggest that assigning numbers to people diminishes their infinite value and human dignity a principle tragically illustrated by the Nazi practice of tattooing numbers on Holocaust victims. Unlike modern censuses that reduce people to statistics, Jewish tradition recognizes that each person counts without being reduced to a mere number. Through creative counting methods like using verses or counting shoes, Judaism upholds human dignity while still gathering necessary information.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore the curious ritual a viewer observed when their rabbi was pointing at congregants while saying seemingly random Hebrew words before a Kaddish service. I explain that this was likely the rabbi counting to ensure there was a minyan (ten adults) present for prayer, but doing so indirectly. Since Jewish tradition discourages counting people directly, rabbis often use verses with exactly ten words, assigning one word per person rather than numbers. I share that some rabbis use specific Hebrew verses, while I prefer using "to be or not to be, that is the question," which conveniently has ten words. I hint at the deeper reason behind this counting prohibition, teasing that we might explore this fascinating topic in a future episode.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain the deep significance behind breaking a glass at the end of a Jewish wedding ceremony. While many might think it's just a festive moment signaling the end of the wedding, the tradition carries a profound spiritual meaning. I discuss how even in our most joyous moments, we remember the destruction of the Temple and the suffering of others. By breaking the glass, Jewish couples and their guests practice empathy, acknowledging that while they celebrate, there are others experiencing pain. This tradition reminds us to remain connected to our collective history and the broader human experience, even during personal milestones.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address the frequently asked question about tattoos and Jewish burial. While Leviticus 19:28 clearly prohibits Jews from getting tattoos, I explain that there is no halachic (Jewish law) basis preventing someone with tattoos from being buried in a Jewish cemetery. I clarify that the prohibition applies only to getting tattoos, not having them. Though some communities historically may have refused burial to those with tattoos as a deterrent, this practice is essentially non-existent today. So despite what your Jewish grandmother might think, you can indeed be buried in a Jewish cemetery with tattoos.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address the common question about whether all Jews speak Hebrew. While Hebrew has experienced a remarkable renaissance as Israel's national language, and most Jews today do live in Israel, not all Jews are Hebrew speakers. I explain how historically, Jews have primarily spoken the languages of their host countries while developing unique Jewish dialects that blend local languages with Hebrew and Aramaic elements. From Yiddish and Ladino to modern "Yeshivish" heard in Orthodox communities like Lakewood, New Jersey, Jewish linguistic traditions continue to evolve. Though Hebrew remains central to Jewish prayer and study regardless of fluency, the diversity of Jewish language practices reflects our global history and cultural adaptations.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I break down the similarities and differences between halal and kosher dietary laws. While both are religious food guidelines for Muslims and Jews, respectively, they are not identical. I explain that Kosher foods are generally acceptable for halal diets, but not vice versa. Drawing on the nuanced distinctions between these dietary practices, I provide insights into each tradition's overlaps and unique aspects. Whether you're curious about religious food regulations or seeking practical guidance, this episode explains these important cultural dietary practices.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this informative episode of Dear Rabbi, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield answers a practical question about Jewish observance: when should one observe a yahrzeit (death anniversary) during a Jewish leap year with two months of Adar? After providing a concise explanation of the Jewish lunisolar calendar system and why leap months are necessary to keep holidays in their proper seasons, Rabbi Field discusses the differing customs between Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions regarding yahrzeit observances. This episode offers clear guidance for those unsure about when to commemorate their loved ones' yahrzeits during Jewish leap years, with practical advice for respecting both major traditions.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this thought-provoking episode of Dear Rabbi, we address a fascinating question about mortality during the Days of Awe - the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rabbi Arkham explores how Judaism reconciles deaths that occur before the Book of Life is sealed, offering two traditional perspectives: that the previous year's judgment extends through these ten days, or that one's fate is determined on Rosh Hashanah but can be altered through repentance. This episode provides deep insight into Jewish concepts of divine judgment, free will, and the powerful opportunity for spiritual transformation during this sacred period.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain the unique Jewish concept of the day beginning at sundown. Tracing this tradition back to the biblical account of creation, I explore how the Torah's pattern of "evening and morning" established our distinctive approach to marking time. I share a deeper spiritual meaning behind this practice - how night represents life's challenges while day symbolizes clarity, suggesting that by beginning with darkness, Judaism teaches us that light always follows. This concept reminds us that all things are good in the end, and if it's not good, it's simply not the end. If you're enjoying these insights, don't forget to subscribe, share with friends, and check out our new podcast "0%" about Jewish historical contributions.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore the profound question of why God sometimes seems distant, even in our moments of deepest prayer. Through the lens of the Purim story and the Book of Esther, I explain how God's apparent absence is actually a form of hidden presence. I share a personal parenting analogy from teaching my kids to ski, illustrating how sometimes stepping back allows for growth. Drawing from biblical examples and everyday life, I discuss how these moments of perceived distance might actually be opportunities for personal development and spiritual growth. While acknowledging that we can't fully understand God's ways, I suggest that these challenges help us become who we're meant to be.Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,Email us at [email protected]📧Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟Follow us for more:Website - https://www.joidenver.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenverFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenverYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenverPinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy